1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the sensing of a parameter related to an electrical phenomenon in a biopharmaceutical content located in the internal space of a biopharmaceutical container, able to be translated into an electrical signal.
2.Description of the Related Art
Its subject matter is more especially firstly a device for sensing a parameter related to an electrical phenomena and able to be translated into an electrical signal of a biopharmaceutical content located in the internal space of biopharmaceutical container and secondly a biopharmaceutical container comprising such a sensing device.
“Parameter related to an electrical phenomenon” means a parameter that is either per se of an electrical nature such as conductivity, impedance or capacitance, or is obtained by a process dependent on a variable of an electrical nature such as temperature (by means of a thermocouple or resistance probe).
The document WO 2008/153401 describes a flexible bioreactor the flexible wall of which at the bottom part is interrupted by a rigid element connected sealingly to the flexible wall, the rigid element comprising means of measuring the cell activity in the bioreactor in operation non-invasively. These measurement means aim to measure the oxygen, pH or conductivity. The bioreactor is intended to be carried and fixed to a tilting platform. In a first embodiment, these measurement means are arranged in an overhang directly penetrating the content of the bioreactor and directly facing it. In a second embodiment, a measurement receptacle is provided in which the measurement means are placed. In this embodiment, the measurement means are surrounded by a laterally closed wall constituting the receptacle, which is completely open in its internal end part. Thus this measuring receptacle always contains a certain quantity of liquid, even when the bioreactor tilts with the tilting platform. In neither cases, the presence of a mixing member such as a screw inside the bioreactor is provided for and consequently there is no impact on the measurement arising from the presence of such a mixing member, being here non-existent, that would have to be overcome.
Document EP 0 810 281 describes an apparatus for detecting and monitoring the development of a culture in a bioreactor that comprises, at the top part of the bioreactor, a chamber in which a plurality of sensors are placed, this chamber being open at the front. A mixing member such as a screw is also not provided for inside the bioreactor.
Document WO 2010/010313 describes a similar bioreactor wherein the impedance sensing part of the capacitive type is in direct contact with the inside of the bioreactor.
Document WO 2005/068059 describes a flexible mixing pouch intended to receive biopharmaceutical fluids in which located means of mixing and means of aerating the content of the pouch and means of sensing a parameter such as pH, oxygen level, temperature, etc are located, being also placed in an overhang directly penetrating the content of the pouch.
Document U.S. 2007/0157748 describes an arrangement for fixing a sensor on a support part fixed to the flexible wall of a mixing pouch.
Document WO 2009/071829 describes a device for connecting an accessory having an active part to a receptacle.
It has been found that, when a device for sensing a parameter related to an electrical phenomenon is associated with a biopharmaceutical container in which the biopharmaceutical content is subject to agitation—and more especially to a fairly powerful agitation—arising from the use of a mixing member located inside the container, the operation of the sensing device is disturbed by this agitation, so that the value of the parameter measured by the sensing device cannot always be the exact actual value of the parameter.